1
as in terrifying
causing fear
hair-raising stories of headless corpses and disembodied screams
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in breathtaking
causing great emotional or mental stimulation
a theme park that is legendary for its lightning-fast roller-coaster and other hair-raising rides
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of hair-raising
Oh, there are plenty of opportunity for that: Feliz says the season only gets more hair-raising from here.
—
Lynette Rice, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2024
The reason this seems hair-raising is that most generative AI is devised to wait for the human to initiate a conversation.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
Among them were experienced mountaineers accustomed to steep terrain where any fall could be fatal, and casual hikers who had never before attempted to climb anything as hair-raising.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2024
The players’ recounted exploits are at once hair-raising, nostalgic and moving.
—Drew Goins, Washington Post, 31 July 2024
But Schlosser’s gifts as a storyteller lend his book a visceral quality, such that every successive accident or close call feels more hair-raising than the last.
—Gregory D. Koblentz, Foreign Affairs, 6 Dec. 2013
Formula 1: On and Off the Track Still a Thrill: Monaco’s narrow track hinders overtaking, but, oh boy, do those tight roads make qualifying hair-raising.
—Ian Parkes, New York Times, 23 May 2024
The going was beautiful but slow and a little hair-raising as day turned to night.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
The drive had been hair-raising (though nothing compared to a later jaunt on Hiva Oa, where Gauguin is buried, during which our guide Heimata played a ukulele while skirting the edge of a cliff and steering with his knee).
—Peter Heller, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2024
Lynette Rice, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2024
The reason this seems hair-raising is that most generative AI is devised to wait for the human to initiate a conversation.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
Among them were experienced mountaineers accustomed to steep terrain where any fall could be fatal, and casual hikers who had never before attempted to climb anything as hair-raising.
—Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2024
The players’ recounted exploits are at once hair-raising, nostalgic and moving.
—Drew Goins, Washington Post, 31 July 2024
But Schlosser’s gifts as a storyteller lend his book a visceral quality, such that every successive accident or close call feels more hair-raising than the last.
—Gregory D. Koblentz, Foreign Affairs, 6 Dec. 2013
Formula 1: On and Off the Track Still a Thrill: Monaco’s narrow track hinders overtaking, but, oh boy, do those tight roads make qualifying hair-raising.
—Ian Parkes, New York Times, 23 May 2024
The going was beautiful but slow and a little hair-raising as day turned to night.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
The drive had been hair-raising (though nothing compared to a later jaunt on Hiva Oa, where Gauguin is buried, during which our guide Heimata played a ukulele while skirting the edge of a cliff and steering with his knee).
—Peter Heller, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hair-raising
Adjective
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Back in August, Renner spoke about how his terrifying snowplow accident in January 2023 led to his daughter becoming a little more independent.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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Prehistoric insects encased in amber reveal a terrifying evolutionary road that dead-ended sometime after the mid-Cretaceous period.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The chef’s kitchen is just as impressive, decked out with a stone pizza oven, high-end appliances, and dramatic picture windows that showcase the breathtaking city-to-ocean views.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
26 Mar. 2025
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Beneath the breathtaking view of the Camelback and Mummy Mountains, Taylor and Hooker exchanged both handwritten and traditional vows.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
People.com,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Good news California began trying to police ghost guns after those frightening findings came out, enacting legislation in both 2022 and 2023 to curtail their unregulated sales.—
Anita Chabria,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2025
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But the bloodshed that unfolded March 6-10 in Latakia and Tartous represents a frightening escalation.—
Chris Massaro,
Fox News,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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However, for tech-minded shoppers, the sale’s most exciting deals probably involve Apple products.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
1 Apr. 2025
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Honda exec Megan Amic took to the red carpet ahead of the show to speak about the partnership, which comes at an exciting time amid award wins, festival booking and more for the R&B superstar.—
James Dinh,
Billboard,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In the vast plains of North America, a formidable predator once reigned supreme.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
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Connecticut’s offense is formidable, but its defense is suspect.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
The Athletic,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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McAfee said, referring to the freshman center’s game-winning shot that sent the Terps to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2016 with a thrilling 72-71 victory over Colorado State on Sunday night in Seattle.—
C.J. Doon,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Mar. 2025
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And Lamar simply couldn’t be hotter, coming off a big Grammy sweep and a thrilling Super Bowl Halftime Show victory.—
Jim Harrington,
The Mercury News,
25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The Athletic’s Steve Madeley has produced a slightly scary overview of the 16 months before the next World Cup starts.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
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Kwong grew up hearing stories of every kind about Manzanar—scary, sad, funny and infuriating.—
Rachel Ng,
Smithsonian Magazine,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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None of these stories have culminated into anything particularly interesting despite the season nearing its final episode.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
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Welcome to Taste Test, where every week our critic Jonah Flicker explores the most buzzworthy and interesting whiskeys in the world.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
30 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hair-raising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hair-raising. Accessed 6 Apr. 2025.
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